TAMPA, Fla. – Tampa Police Officers responded to the area of Peter O. Knight Airport, Davis Islands, regarding a report of a helicopter submerged in the water.
According to police, at approximately 4:00 PM, a helicopter with a pilot and three passengers departed Peter O. Knight Airport to conduct a one-hour tour of the Tampa Bay area.
At approximately 5:07 PM, the helicopter was returning to Peter O. Knight Airport when the pilot reportedly heard a loud noise, followed by the loss of power.
The helicopter landed in the water approximately 300 feet from shore, near Peter O. Knight Airport. The three passengers onboard were a 62-year-old male, a 59-year-old female, and a 28-year-old male, and were retrieved from the water and transported to shore by a civilian on a personal watercraft.
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The pilot, a 33-year-old male, was retrieved from the water and transported to shore by members of the Tampa Police Department Marine Unit.
No one was injured during the event, according to police.
A Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office Marine Unit vessel was also on the scene and assisted with the security and preservation of the submerged helicopter.
The Tampa Police Department is presently coordinating with the FAA and NTSB regarding the recovery of the helicopter, and we will update this story when more details are released.
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